I really love Tove Jansson'sMoomin books. A few years back, a friend in a local book club introduced me to the books, and promised I'd enjoy them even as an adult. She described the young adult titles as carefree and light, but claimed when read as an adult they revealed subtle splashes of sadness, even bordering on deep melancholy in spots. And were deeply satisfying. We shared many of the same likes when it came to authors, we seriously geeked out over anything by Jonathan Carroll, Tim Powers, John Connolly, Philip K. Dick, and Neil Gaiman, so I trusted her judgement. She suggested a first title, I'm not sure what it was right this moment, but one of the characters she adored, Snufkin, played a larger than normal part in the book. I fell in love with Snufkin and the Moomins after the first chapter.

After that first book, Snufkin became my favorite character as well, as did Little My, and I now count the Moomin titles as eternal favorites. Later, even enjoying some of Tove's adult works for their stark beauty and economy of words. A master in every sense. So what does Tove Jansson's Moomins have to do with music? For today, when I happened across an artist I'd never heard of, Snufkin, I paused to listen, thanks to Tove's Moomins. And what I heard was definitely interesting. All 4 tracks sound so different, psychedelic and spacey to heavy and grinding to jangly and bright. I want to hear more, and know more about this promising artist.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find any information about Snufkin, just a vague bio. No social media at all. Snufkin describes the Earthling EP as the basement recordings of a dirt poor but enthused 20 year old from Madison, Wisconsin. For now, stream the two songs I enjoyed most of all, 'About a Homeless Man' and 'Peace of Mind'.